LibDems rip up their green credentials

Reacting to the news that the Liberal Democrats have voted to support nuclear power and unconventional gas, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland said:

“The LibDems were supposed to be keeping the Coalition on track to be the ‘greenest government ever.’ It is incredible that they could think that supporting new nuclear reactors and dirty gas could be the way to do this.

“The commitment to new nuclear is so hedged with conditions about no subsidies and the waste issue that you could never actually build any new reactors. We look forward to the LibDems enforcing this policy in government.

”The commitment to a UK decarbonisation target as soon as possible is laudable but completely unrealistic, since UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey is instructing MPs and Peers not to fight for exactly this target in the Energy Bill. Davey is also blocking a strong renewable energy target for Europe.

“Scottish LibDems must be embarrassed that the UK conference in Glasgow is kicking off with a decision so out of kilter with their own views on energy and climate change. The LibDems used to be the greenest of the big parties at Westminster but they have lost the plot with this vote.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Conference discussed a motion on Green Growth and Green Jobs between 10:20 and 11:50. The motion included support for fracking/unconventional gas and an option for supporting new nuclear power, as well as calling for a UK decarbonisation target as soon as possible. The full motion can be seen here: http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/Autumn%20Conf%202013/Aut13…

2. FoE Scotland have been protesting outside the conference with placards saying “Nuclear Power – no thanks,” “Dirty Gas – no thanks” and “Decarb Target – yes please.”

3.The Scottish Liberal Democrats passed a motion against fracking at their Spring Conference.

4. Friends of the Earth Scotland is:
* Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk